Letter to Gov. Abbott from Mayor Adler in support of DACA

Members of the University Leadership Initiative hold a press conference at the Capitol on Wednesday, February 18, 2015, concerning the recent DACA ruling. DEBORAH CANNON / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Last November President Obama used executive action to expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which helps immigrants brought to the United States as children remain in the only country many of them consider home. Taking it a step further, Obama’s administration also presented Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), which would also protect from deportation the parents of American citizens or permanent residents. The initiatives would allow about 5 million unauthorized immigrants to remain and work in the United States.

What could have been a workable solution in the absence of immigration reform, however, has instead hung in litigation.

Meanwhile, immigrants continue to live in fear and work in potentially dangerous and abusive conditions. Even under those unfair terms, immigrants will continue to make positive contributions to our economy.

It’s been said before: States should not interfere with federal immigration law. Policy must be set by Congress. Until Congress steps up to the plate, we have DACA and DAPA.

Austin city, business and community leaders understand the value these programs offer. Earlier this week, Austin Mayor Steve Adler showed the city’s support for both programs in a letter to Governor Greg Abbott. Abbott, if you remember, filed the original lawsuit challenging Obama’s orders while he was still Texas attorney general.

I agree with Adler and the American-Statesman editorial board in the past has as well: DACA and DAPA would be good for Texas. Abbott would be wise to recognize that.

Below is the letter Adler sent to Abbott:

Governor Greg Abbott,

This week, it will be one year since President Barack Obama announced the creation of the Deferred Action for Parents of American and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and an expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The City of Austin and Travis County would benefit from DAPA and the expansion of DACA. In Travis County, there are roughly 27,000 parents of U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents who are eligible for DAPA and an estimated 1,000 young adults who are eligible for the expanded DACA program. 46% of the undocumented population in the County is eligible. These parents and young adults are an asset to Austin, and could strengthen their contributions to our country with these programs. If implemented, the programs would add increase the Texas GDP by $38 billion and allow for the creation of 4,800 jobs annually for the next 10 years. Nationally, these programs would grow the U.S. economy by $230 billion over 10 years. DAPA and DACA make economic sense.

Our broken immigration system and the current litigation around DAPA and DACA are creating obstacles for people and for great cities like ours. Without comprehensive immigration reform, we hand out college diplomas only to send graduates back to their home country as soon as they step off the commencement stage. This is talent a global city like Austin cannot afford to lose. Similarly, hardworking immigrants who are trying to keep their families together have no pathway to citizenship and must live in the shadows. With legislation overhauling our immigration system at a standstill in Congress, millions of parents and young immigrants look to DAPA and DACA as their only relief.

Take Pedro Villalobos and Lorena Valdenez, two Austin residents, as examples. Pedro’s story shows that DACA works. A DREAMer and a 2012 DACA recipient, Pedro was three years old when he came to America. His parents waited over 18 years for their legal permanent residency application to be processed, a common story for millions of aspiring Americans.

While waiting for his residency, Pedro turned 21 years old and was kicked off his family’s application. His parents now have permanent residency but he does not. It will be a decades long wait before Pedro is able to call himself a legal permanent resident. DACA has let Pedro stay in the United States without fear of deportation, and now he is pursuing a J.D. at The University of Texas School of Law.

Lorena, another 2012 DACA recipient, shows the impact DAPA would have. Lorena works full time and attends night classes at Austin Community College so that she can achieve her dream of being a civil engineer. However, Lorena’s sister and parents do not have the security she does. Although her family would be eligible for DAPA, the program is stuck in litigation.

Lorena’s sister and parents would like nothing more than to be able to contribute to our city, but instead they live in fear of being separated from their home, family, and community. They must rely on Lorena to be sole the breadwinner for her whole family. Dragging out these lawful programs harms Austin residents and families and hurts our local economy.

We both love Texas and the United States of America. But so do the parents and young people eligible for DAPA and DACA. Many of these DACA eligible young adults know only Austin as their home. They attended public schools in AISD and are currently attending Austin Community College, St. Edward’s University, and my alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin. These young adults have the talents, work ethic, and knowledge our booming economy needs.

Ultimately, the only things that prevents these group of people from being able to call themselves United States citizens is a gridlocked Congress and piece of paper. However, this piece of paper would only confirm to those eligible for DACA what they have known their whole life—that they are a part of this country and Texas is their home. They are, in every way but one, Texans.

I know I write in support of a view you do not share. Nonetheless, it is important for my city that this view, held by most, is conveyed. The City of Austin supports DAPA and DACA.

Sincerely,

Steve Adler

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